Has modern writers missed the point with Dracula?Oct 30th, 2013, 5:44pm

Last Friday I watched the new Dracula series. I found myself looking at the clock, wondering when the show would be over.Here's my take on what the original Dracula was about: a group of ordinary people confront evil incarnate and overcome evil because they work together.Nobody else seems to get that.In this updated (referred to as 'not your father's Dracula') version, Mina is a medical student, Lucy is some kind of Ninja woman, and Jonathan is a journalist. Even Renfield is no longer a lunatic. It's as if the characters were not professional enough and had to be upgraded.Dracula becomes American. I hope that was because the actor couldn't do an accent because I don't see any good reason for Dracula to be American.Dracula is sort of a good guy. He is going against the evil oil companies. Does the writer know that at that time, the oil companies were saving whales? Before they used petroleum, we used whale oil for lights. Not so evil these oil companies, back in the day.The whole point of the novel, Dracula, was that Dracula was evil and the good guys killed him. Good triumphs over evil. Today it isn't even clear who the good guys are.

Re: Has modern writers missed the point with Dracula?Reply #1 - Nov 1st, 2013, 10:01am

I don't watch television, but I'll bet the real focus of this new program was the sexiness of the players. Concepts like "good" "evil" "consistency" "logic" "tradition" mean nothing. "Profit" means everything and sexiness sells. But let's not be too hard on this typical piece of TV garbage. Look for a moment at the films done about this character. In most of them, Dracula is portrayed as a suave sophisticate. From Lugosi, through Lee, through Louis Jordan (!) and even Gary Oldman --most of the portrayers of the undead count are cast to set the female heart a twitter. Most of the women in these flicks are voluptuaries as well--no surprise there. The best (scariest)of the films -- Nosferatu -- is one of the few that consistently shows the Vampire as fangy Monster.

Re: Has modern writers missed the point with Dracula?Reply #2 - Nov 2nd, 2013, 6:04am

Didn't see the show but I recognize the pattern. I definitely see what you are saying about vampires. Instead of evil undead they are sexy rock stars saving the planet. They are politically correct, they even recycle! Who could hate a vampire that recycles?

Two things going on here. First is the modern humanism movement which ascribes to all people basic goodness. This means even Vampires can be nice people, they are just misunderstood. There is no good and evil only misunderstood people.

Second is sex sells. TV is a fantasy escape from reality and Hollywood knows it. They have been selling it since day one.

Re: Has modern writers missed the point with Dracula?Reply #3 - Nov 23rd, 2013, 4:31pm

The Walking Dead- now there's a good show. Good triumphing over- uh-er- whatever the zombie apocalypse is.I decided to read the original Dracula. That is a mighty fine book. The movies don't do it justice. Even though I know the story, it's still a very scary book. I'm on page 125 and the heroes still don't know what they are up against. I feel like screaming at the pages, "No!!! Don't leave Lucy asleep with the window open! No!!! Don't seal Jonathan's notebook shut!!!"This vampire doesn't want to help anybody. I can't wait for them to stake him!